UWindsor sanctions Delta Chi members who sent racist and hateful chat messages
The university also banned Greek Letter Organization from operating on campus at this time
Disciplinary sanctions have been imposed on Delta Chi members who were involved in the exchange of racist and hateful chat messages late last year, the University of Windsor said Wednesday.
The private Facebook messages include racist and anti-Black comments and comments promoting violence.
Announcing the sanctions, the university's president and vice-chancellor Rob Gordon said they include a requirement for the sanctioned parties to undergo appropriate training through the Office of the Vice President, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI).
On Nov. 27, 2020, the university announced that it had initiated an investigation into the "deeply troubling messages and actions" that were brought to its attention.
"The university's comprehensive and careful investigation and its findings informed our next steps under the university's policy, the Procedures for Addressing Student Non-Academic Misconduct," Gordon said in a written statement.
Following the incident and an investigation, the Delta Chi fraternity headquarters revoked the charter of the Windsor chapter.
The university takes matters of harassment and discrimination very seriously and we encourage all staff, faculty, and students to come forward to report any such incidents.- Rob Gordon, UWindsor president and vice-chancellor
Gordon said the university has also "ceased to allow Greek Letter Organizations to operate and conduct activities on the university campus at this time, until a comprehensive review of the university's relationships with Greek Letter Organizations can be completed and their roles and responsibilities as university community members can be appropriately defined."
"We are hopeful that the conclusion of this matter will also provide an opportunity for our campus to learn, to heal, and to move forward positively," Gordon said.
"The university takes matters of harassment and discrimination very seriously and we encourage all staff, faculty, and students to come forward to report any such incidents."
Meanwhile, Gordon said that over the past year, the university has taken concrete steps to address anti-Black racism and other forms of discrimination on campus.
He said the establishment of the Anti-Black Racism Taskforce, a new executive leadership role of a Vice President, Equity, Diversity and Inclusion, a director of Anti-Racism and Organizational Change, as well as an anti-Racism Pedagogies Teaching Leadership Chair to support curricular and educational change on campus are notable among these.
"We realize we have much more to do to eradicate discrimination on our campus and are embarking on an external review of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion through the Office of the VP, EDI," Gordon added.